Packer divides this journey on which he guides us to know God into three stages: (1) Know the Lord; (2) Behold Your God; and (3) If God Be For Us.  The first stage of the journey is composed of six chapters which prepare us what it means to know God, that there is only one true God, that God has revealed himself through his written word (the Bible) and his incarnate Word (his Son Jesus Christ).  In the second stage of the journey Packer describes what God is like as he reveals himself in the Bible and in Jesus.  The third stage of the journey explains the gospel (the good news Jesus proclaimed about himself) and its effect on the Christian life.  Throughout the book Packer couples his conversational style with a generous selected on famous hymns written by believers of past ages that were enraptured by God and his love for his people.  This feature of the book gives the journey a warm personal touch.  This is not a theological textbook, but a meaty devotional journey for travelers walking the same path in Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress.

Discerning readers rarely agree with everything an author writes.  It has been said that if you find nothing disagreeable in a book then you haven’t begun to think about its message.  There is one aspect of Knowing God with which I have concerns—and I am certainly not alone in this particular objection.  In chapter 4 (The Only True God) Packer addresses the sin of idolatry and follows the puritan doctrine that images (even mental images) of Jesus are transgressions against the 2nd commandment of forbidding the worship of God using images.  Packer’s case is not simplistic nor disrespectful toward Christians who differ in this application of the commandment against idolatry.  But I find myself disappointed that he chose to respond to a subset of letters he received over the years objecting to artistic renditions of Jesus without addressing the more robust theological objections to this distinctly reformation and puritan era application.  Nevertheless, Packer is in highly respectable company in holding this particular position on idolatry and images of Jesus (see Westminster Larger Catechism #109).  This being said, I have absolutely no other quibbles with anything in the book.  It is simply a evangelical masterpiece!

Knowing God is the kind of book that you will finish no matter how long it takes to read (it took me almost a year!).  Knowing God is the kind of book you’ll want to reread frequently and revisit its various parts.  Knowing God is the kind of book you’ll want to pass on to seekers, new Christians, and those who have walked the path of Christian discipleship for decades.  In a word, it is a classic.  Read it to Know God and be changed for the better.

Although not a technical commentary, the author does use Hebrew and Greek, but he provides accessible transliterations and translations whenever original languages are referenced.  But it is also not a popular-level commentary (at least in the first two-thirds of the book), evidenced by his frequent citations of scholarly commentaries, monographs, and journal articles.  Nevertheless, this commentary is a meaty diet of the issues cut into bite-sized chunks for anyone with a college education to easily digest.

After dividing Genesis 1-4 into four pericopes (literary sections) and methodically commenting on the text, the author addresses typical preliminary questions of textual sources, unity of the text, and authorship (chapter 8).  Finally, Collins deals with larger questions in the last three chapters: (9) The Communicative Purpose of Genesis 1-4; (10) Genesis 1-4, History and Science, and (11) Seeing the World through the Eyes of Genesis 1-4.  These chapters amount to essays that demonstrate the relevance and vital importance of Genesis 1-4 as a foundational text of Christian theology and worldview formation.

Although limited to only a small section (chapters 1-4) of the larger book of Genesis, this commentary is an excellent resource for students, pastors, teachers, and curious Christians for an informed and nuanced understanding of Genesis and the rest of the Bible as Christian scripture.  Hopefully there will be forthcoming a more complete commentary on all fifty chapters of Genesis from Collins.  Until then, this will have to do.

God has proven that he always judges fairly by destroying the wicked but delivering the righteous from his sweeping judgment, therefore rejoice in God’s perfect justice and seek deliverance in the Righteous One who was judged in your place.

Introduction – Have you heard of these common objections to Christianity regarding the existence of evil, suffering, and judgment?  “Why would a good God permit evil?  Why would a compassionate God allow suffering? Why would a merciful God send people to hell?”  These are all thoughtful questions, and I think they have satisfying answers.  But notice that all these questions assume something about God—that he is good, compassionate, and merciful.  In our culture this description of God is no longer assumed to be true.  Today people are beginning to doubt whether the God of the Bible is righteous at all.  Richard Dawkins, in his book The God Delusion writes, “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.  Those of us schooled from infancy in his ways can become desensitized to their horror.”  Many people have effectively put the God of the Bible on trial as a moral monster, doubting whether God judges fairly.  Some ask these questions to satisfy philosophical curiosity, others to justify their personal beliefs and lifestyle, others to make sense of life’s difficulties, still others to salvage their personal faith hanging by a thread.  So often in this life it seems that good people share in the consequences of oppressive people’s actions.  When God finally judges wicked people, will he be fair to the righteous?  Has this question crossed your mind?  You’re not alone.

I.    God on Trial

A.    Abraham’s Question: does God judge fairly? (Gen 18:23-25)

Remember that Abraham is still getting to know God.  He is Abraham’s new Lord, so Abraham is slowly learning what God is like, including God’s sense of justice and mercy.  Abraham steps into God’s courtroom (in v. 23 the verb nagash is a legal term meaning to “step forth in litigation”) and tests the fairness of the Judge.  Will God do what is right?  Will God’s judgment of the wicked also sweep away the righteous?  Will God be at all merciful to the wicked for the sake of the righteous?

B.    God’s Answer: consider my dealings with Sodom (Gen 18:17-21, 26, 32b)

1.    God is just: he is not willing to tolerate the sins of the wicked forever (Job 10:14; Josh 24:19).

2.    God is merciful: he is willing to spare the wicked for the sake of the righteous.  Objection: How can God be perfectly just and perfectly merciful and still maintain his perfect fairness in judgment? (Ex 34:6-7).

II.    Sodom on Trial

A.    The Charges

1.    Generally the sins of wickedness and injustice (v. 13; cf. 18:19-21).  Elsewhere in the Bible the sins of Sodom are identified as adultery, lying and supporting criminals (Jer 23:14); and arrogance, apathy, and merciless treatment of the needy (Ezek 16:49).

2.    Manifestly the sin of attempted homosexual rape (vv. 4-9).  This is violent sexual immorality.  Abraham was instructed to “know” his barren wife to bear the promised son.  The men of Sodom wanted to “know” the men in Lot’s house by force.  Lest we condemn rape and condone homosexuality, the NT highlights their sin as immoral, unnatural, sensual desire (2 Pet 2:6-9; Jude 7).

3.    Fundamentally the sin of inhospitality (vv. 1-3).  This sounds strange to our ears.  Is it really that bad to refuse overnight accommodations in our own homes for strangers?  Are the men of Sodom fundamentally guilty and in danger of being destroyed because they failed to be “neighborly”?  To understand the seriousness of the charge we must understand the environment, culture and customs of the Near East.  At night it was dangerous to be outside.  The elements, wild animals, and disreputable people were a threat to life, especially for the traveler.  Public lodging was rarely available.  Human societies were separated by long distances.  In this environment and culture, hospitality to strangers was a vital public practice.  It was then and still is today in the Near East.  Furthermore, this is difficult to see without studying how Genesis 18 &19 are closely related by way of comparison and contrast.  Furthermore, the sin of inhospitality is not explicitly mentioned in Genesis 18-19.  It is an inference based on the comparison of Abraham’s and Lot’s hospitality to the angels, and the contrast between the way Lot and the men of Sodom treated the angels as visitors.  Abraham and Lot demonstrated righteousness with the typical hospitality of their culture (with Abraham’s hospitality portrayed as greater than Lot’s).  The men of Sodom showed gross inhospitality, manifestly in wickedness, injustice, and (in this case) attempted homosexual rape.  This is evident in the narrative structure: (A) Lot’s righteousness; (B) Sodom’s sin; (A’) Lot’s deliverance; (B’) Sodom’s judgment.

B.    The Evidence

1.    Lot and his family (vv. 1-3, 14; cf 2 Pet 2:7).  Lot showed hospitality to the travelers, making himself their “servant” and inviting them home to dine and lodge with his family.  He urged them not to stay the night in the town square because Sodom was dangerous at night.  Later that night when the angels urged Lot to warn his family to flee the city to escape judgment, Lot immediately warned his daughters’ fiancés.  As a righteous man living in Sodom, he knew from experience his neighbors were wicked.

2.    The men of Sodom (vv. 4-9).  Verse 4 is very clear that every single man of Sodom was guilty of violence against Lot and his household.  In verse 9 they condemn themselves with their own words: “Now we will deal worse with [Lot] than with [the travelers].”  They were prepared to break down doors to satiate their violent lust.

3.    The angels/messengers (vv. 10-13).  The angels came to Sodom to investigate the cries against Sodom.  But they had to do more than observe Sodom’s behavior; they had to act in mercy to protect the righteous.  They rescued Lot from the mob by temporarily blinding them, and literally dragged the righteous few out of the city to save them from the city’s destruction.

4.    Abraham and Sarah (18:1-8, 22-33).  Their hospitality to strangers shines brighter than that of Lot and contrasts sharply with the violence of Sodom toward the same strangers.  Abraham pleaded with God to mercifully spare the wicked in Sodom for the sake of the righteous living there, but the men of Sodom would show no mercy to the righteous.

C.    The Verdict

1.    Sodom is wicked as charged (vv. 13).  God has been patient with Sodom, giving opportunity to repent through Lot’s preaching.  Abraham learned that God is patient with sinners, but when his judgment comes, it comes swiftly and decidedly.  For Sodom, the time had come because the outcry against its inhabitants had become too great for the LORD to relent any longer (note the harmony of God’s justice and mercy; cf. Ezek 33:11; 1 Thess 2:16).  The angel-messengers explained to Lot that the LORD had sent them to destroy the city for its wickedness, and judgment was about to begin.

2.    Lot is righteous, albeit a buffoon (vv. 7-8, 14, 16a, 18-20, 30-38).  How was Lot a buffoon?  (1) Unfortunately, Lot perceives himself to be on the horns of a terrible dilemma—to choose between two wrong actions—protect his guests or protect his daughters.  But there is always a third option—trust God and choose the greatest good.  Perhaps if Lot had trusted God and not offered up his daughters to the mob, they might not have committed similar sexual sin with him.  Lot’s hypocrisy tragically returned to visit him with terribly ironic consequences.  Lot simultaneously passes the test and fails the test!  It is now clear that the wickedness of Sodomite culture has worked its way into Lot’s thinking.  Yet at the same time he has rebuked his neighbors (“brothers”) for their wickedness and has set himself morally opposed to them.  On this reckoning Lot is righteous.  (2) Lot was not able to persuade his daughters’ fiancés that he was quite serious about the imminent judgment.  To them he seemed a buffoon.  (3) And when time was finally up, Lot did the unthinkable—he lingered!  It seems Lot was more secure in the city surrounded by the wicked than outside the city with God!  (4) When Lot seemed to finally understand his peril, he quickly surmised that leaving the valley was impossible because he couldn’t flee fast enough!  So he feebly protests to the angels, asking instead if he might escape to a little nearby town, a request they mercifully grant.

D.    Judgment and Deliverance

1.    Narrowly save the righteous (vv. 10-22).  Abraham’s intercession for God to spare Sodom for the sake of 10 righteous in the city is not enough to stave off Judgment Day.  Lot and his small family are barely saved (cf. 1 Pet 4:18).  Lot’s wife looks back yearning for her life in Sodom and she does not escape, becoming a pillar of salt.  For fear Lot and his daughters do not settle in Zoar but instead live in a cave.  His daughters turn Sodom’s sin back on Lot, giving birth to Moab and Ben-ammi (Ammon) from incestuous relations with their father.  Lot never prospers again.

2.    Utterly destroy the guilty (vv. 23-29).  God literally destroys Sodom and the surrounding cities by raining “fire and brimstone” on them.  It was not just the people who fell under judgment.  God “overthrew” all the cities, all the valley, all the inhabitants, and all the vegetation!  Absolute destruction is the picture—like a nuclear bomb detonated in Sodom’s town square!  Notice how orderly God conducts Sodom’s trial.  This is no careless judgment.  God does not hold court like TV’s Judge Judy, giving each case a few minutes of he-said-she-said, then pronouncing swift “pretended-omniscient,” guilt-laden judgment on the parties.  God is not capricious, God is not cold-hearted and unaffected by the destructiveness of sin on his creation, God is not hypocritically self-righteous, and God is not constrained to remain uninvolved in the broken lives of people.

III.    You on Trial

A.    Sodom’s judgment is a sample (end-of-time intrusion) of the Great Judgment

Someone may object, “Wait a minute!  You can’t tell me that Sodom’s judgment has anything to do with the way God is now.  That was the OT, this is the NT.  My God is a God of love.  He doesn’t judge like that anymore.”  I reply that…

1.    Every instance of terrible judgment (the Flood, Sodom & Gomorrah, the Exodus, the Conquest of Canaan, the Babylonian Exile) is a preview of the Great Judgment (2 Pet 3:10).  No one will escape the Great Judgment because no one is righteous before God (Rom 3:9-12, 19-20).  Even lesser “judgments” (natural disasters, miscarriages of justice) are timely reminders (because we are prone to forget) that we deserve God’s judgment (Lk 13:1-5).  When will your Great Judgment be?

2.    The greatest sample of judgment in the Bible is in the NT.  Jesus’ judgment on the cross as our substitute is the Great Judgment for the “righteous” (those who are righteous by faith in the Righteous One).  Abraham learned that God is both just and merciful—that God will spare the many wicked for the sake of the few righteous.  But God did not reveal to Abraham the extent of his mercy.  God will avert his judgment of the unrighteous for the sake of not ten righteous, but a single righteous person!  God satisfies his wrath (which you and I deserve fairly) but taking it upon himself—God the Son—the Righteous One, Jesus Christ.

3.    Jesus’ second coming is the Great Judgment for the wicked (Mt 16:27; 2 Thess 1:5-10; Rev 20:11-15).

B.    The Great Judgment: the Day of the Lord

1.    Deliverance for those who trust in the Righteous One for their sake (Lk 17:20-37).

2.    Judgment for those who trust in their own righteousness (Lk 18:9-14).  Someone will say, “Who trusts in their own righteousness?  I don’t!”  Here are some ways you can trust in your own righteousness.  (1) Moralistic conservative people will look down their noses at those nasty Sodomites.  “I could never be THAT wicked.  I’m not a homosexual or a rapist.  I’m not gay, and I would never force my lustful desires on others.”  (2) Moralistic liberal people will look down their noses at those violent Sodomites.  “I could never be THAT unjust.  I don’t oppress people.”  (3) Amoral relativist people will look down their noses at God.  “I could never be THAT judgmental.  I am more tolerant than God.”

Conclusion – In one sense you are the jury, and you must admit that Sodom’s trial proves God is not a moral monster (as many today charge), and that God will judge everyone fairly.  But in another sense you are on trial.  Are you confident that your own righteousness will require God to deliver you from judgment?  Prepare to be disappointed in God’s perfect justice.  Or is Judgment Day for you a day of bright hope?  Take heart, for God is merciful.  God has proven that he always judges fairly by destroying the wicked but delivering the righteous from his sweeping judgment, therefore rejoice in God’s perfect justice, but also seek deliverance in the Righteous One who was judged in your place.

This Study Bible is an excellent resource for students of the Bible.  While it contains some theological reflections, some resources that connect the Bible to the history of Christianity, and some archaeological notes, its focus in on explaining the text in its narrative and canonical context.  Its study bible approach is to consciously emulate “being led through Scripture by a caring Bible teacher.”

The NLTSB is literally packed with useful information for study, devotion, lesson/sermon preparation.  Introductory articles for sections and individual books are extremely helpful, and each biblical book includes a brief paragraph summary describing what the book is all about.  One of the most useful features is the presence of in-text articles ranging in subject from character profiles, theological doctrines, and FAQs that arise from the surrounding text.  Each article contains a full list of cross references to facilitate topical studies–an invaluable resource for the busy Bible Study leader or pastor.

For those who consider themselves “evangelical” or “reformed” I would describe the NLTSB as a “Christmas Bible” (No-”L”)–meaning it is broadly reformational in its theological leanings but does not subscribe to the Reformed doctrine of “Limited Atonement“.  While I believe the Bible teaches the doctrines of grace summarized in the acrostic TULIP, many Christians do not.  For those interested, here is a list I’ve compiled of other doctrinally questionable study notes contained in the NLTSB.  No Study Bible is perfect, but the NLTSB does a great job of hitting the nail on the head the vast majority of times.

The NLT often gets a bad rap in Reformed and fundamentalist-leaning circles, especially those who are convinced that the ESV is the “extra special version” (disclaimer: I love the ESV and it is my translation of choice, but it is not the only useful translation).  But I think this Study Bible has enough strengths to more than overcome the most hardened skeptic.

Paul's (Saul's) encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ

This is a sermon on Acts 21:37-22:29.  Download sermon outline/commentary, and audio.

Christians are sometimes called upon to defend their faith and obedience to Christ, and if their personal character and actions are also in question, it is appropriate to give this defense in the form of a “personal testimony”.

Introduction – As we leave the joyous holiday season behind and begin a new year, I’d like to remind us of the acid tone of our culture’s religious environment.  Prominent American atheist Dan Barker of the Freedom From Religion Foundation commented on the winter solstice and the Washington DC nativity display.  “We have a holiday. Before even this country started this time of year is the winter solstice. It’s a natural season. The Christians basically stole the season from us human beings by using the hate speech of the nativity scene which [condemns] all of us to hell if we don’t bow down to that little baby who became the dictator.”  Wow!  Happy New Year Mr. Barker.  In our culture, telling others about your personal religious beliefs can be scary because you don’t know whether you will be yawned at, laughed at, relativized, scorned, or welcomed.  You may doubt (as the world does) whether following Jesus as a Christian is actually obeying God.  You may be tempted to keep your most deeply cherished beliefs, and the source of life’s meaning and purpose, to yourself.  Nevertheless, Christians are sometimes called upon to defend their faith and obedience to Christ, and if their personal character and actions are also in question, it is appropriate to give this defense in the form of a “personal testimony”.

I.    The Need for Personal Testimony

A.    What it is; what it isn’t

1.    A personal story; not a sermon, an argument or a gospel presentation (although it should include elements of these).

2.    A story about your new birth in Christ (personal background, conversion experience, what you now believe as a Christian, what God has called you to do, and how your life has changed).

3.    A winsome method of gaining an audience for sharing the gospel and how Jesus relates to your life; not an irrefutable method of evangelism.

B.    To give contextualized reasons why you obey God by following Jesus (vv. 1-21)

Paul tailors almost every sentence of his testimony to the Jewish crowd in a winsome way by constantly identifying himself as a faithful Jew who must obey God by following Jesus.  Despite the crowd’s violent response, notice that in no way does Paul incite the Jewish crowd.  Throughout his speech he chooses words that are calculated to win Jewish sympathy.  His speech is contextualized (seeks common ground) to his audience by emphasizing things they shared: love for their people, zeal for God and his commands, hometown, spoken language, respected religious education, respected human authority, respected spiritual experience, respect for the temple, prayer as dialogue with God.  Christians are exhorted throughout the NT to give this kind of testimony (1 Pet 3:15b-16; Jude 3).

1.    V1. From the start Paul is conciliatory with his Jewish audience.  He identifies himself in terms that stress his friendly unity with the Jews.

2.    V2. Recall that Paul was swept up in the Jewish riot under the pretense of charges by Asian-Jews who knew Paul from his work in Asia.  As Jews of the diaspora they probably spoke Greek, so when Paul began to address them with a defense against the charges in the Hebrew (or Aramaic) language, the mere fact of his speaking the language of the common people in Jerusalem would have gone a long way to refute the charges that he was an anti-Jewish troublemaker.  Paul demonstrated he had closer and more reputable Jewish ties than the Asian-Jewish pilgrims.

3.    Vv3-5. Paul presents his impressive credentials to defend his Jewishness to the crowd.  He was a Jew, a native of Tarsus (with its diaspora Jewish population), brought up and educated in the capital city Jerusalem by none other that the venerable rabbi Gamaliel, a follower of the Jewish law, a zealous persecutor of the Church (the Way), and a representative of the high council (Sanhedrin).

4.    V6. Paul’s experience of the Lord’s glory would have reminded his audience of the prophet Ezekiel’s experience of the heavenly glory (cf. Ezek 1:26-28).  The Jewish crowd, familiar with the Bible, would associate a bright light from heaven with a divine encounter as a means whereby God reveals himself (Ex 13:21-22; Neh 9:12; Ps 104:2; Isa 60:19; Dan 2:22; Hab 3:4).

5.    V7. Paul’s audience would recognize in the repetition of God’s call (“Saul, Saul”) the manner in which several OT saints were called by the God of Israel and commissioned into divine service (Ex 3:4; 1 Sam 3:10).

6.    Vv12-13. He was instructed by Ananias, a godly and law-keeping disciple in Damascus.  Because Paul was formerly such a zealous Pharisee, it was appropriate for him to meet Ananias.  Note Paul’s wisdom in relaying that Ananias addressed Paul as his “brother.”  The implied question is How much more should those less devout than Ananias receive his testimony as coming from a fellow Jew and follower of Israel’s God?

7.    V14. Ananias does not instruct Paul in a new religion, but rather teaches Paul that following Jesus Christ as the “Righteous One” is the fulfillment of biblical religion (Isa 53:11).  Jesus is the God of the Jewish forefathers.  He is the messiah to whom the fathers looked.  Worshiping Jesus Christ is the same as worshiping the God of antiquity.  He is not a new god; he is the one true God.

8.    V17. Paul intended to preach the gospel to his beloved countrymen (the Jews).  Paul is surely not a desecrator of temple because he was praying therein.  That Paul had his vision of God in the temple is significant for communicating its validity to Jews, for the temple was holy ground (the Lord’s house).  Paul’s account of receiving a vision surely reminded his audience of the prophet Isaiah’s call (Isa 6:1-13).  Paul is claiming a similar call as a commissioned spokesman for God.

9.    V19. Paul objects to God’s command to go to the Gentiles, but not in a rebellious way.  Rather Paul finds it hard to believe that honest God-fearing Jews will not be moved to consider the claims of Jesus Christ upon seeing his dramatically changed life and doctrine (from murderous hatred and pride to humble love and self-sacrifice).

So to summarize Paul’s “Jewish defense”: he is a good Jew, and when a good Jew receives visions and commands from the Lord he can do nothing but obey them.  Any Jew who saw and heard the things Paul did could only obey God.

Think about it.  You do the same thing when you try to persuade someone to your point of view.  If you’re speaking to someone educated and intelligent, you let them know that you are too, so they don’t dismiss you as ignorant.  If you are speaking to someone from another country, first you listen to them to discover what you have in common, and then you draw on these to persuade.  When you speak to children or people significantly younger than you, you draw on your relevant experiences and thoughts when you were their age.  When you speak to your spouse, you either let them persuade you or you say “Yes, dear.”

Do not miss this important aspect of the Acts narrative: that Paul is charged as an apostolic law-breaker.  But the verdict is clearly no—Paul proves to be a faithful Jew, obedient to the Torah, Roman law, and to God’s direct commands to obey Jesus.  The rest of the book of Acts tells how Paul was enabled to give a defense for the gospel within the Roman halls of power, and this story explains how Paul found himself on this path.

C.    To show that God’s Spirit is still working in people through Jesus (vv. 6-10, 13, 17-21)

1.    A bad evangelical example (me-centered, no gospel, sin-glorifying, religious jargon, moralistic).  “I used to be a really bad person.  I committed sins x, y, z.  Here are some graphic details that show how much fun I had sinning. (Smile)  But then I heard the gospel when the lead singer of my favorite band shared his personal testimony at the concert.  So I asked Jesus into my heart to be my “PersonalLordAndSavior” and I cried a lot.  Now my life is great and I’m a really good person.  In fact I hardly sin anymore, and when I do I don’t have to worry about guilty feelings because I know I’m already forgiven.  It’s cool to be saved.”

2.    A good biblical example (Christ-centered, gospel-oriented, sin-debasing, miraculous conversion, God-obeying, grand mission).  Paul’s testimony includes his pre-conversion sinful life (vv. 3-5); his conversion experience, changed heart, and encounter with Jesus (vv. 6-11); his calling/mission from Jesus (vv. 12-16); and his continuous following of Jesus’ commands (vv. 17-21).

II.    The Opposition to Personal Testimony

Of course we know from personal experience and Paul’s story that our testimony of Jesus’ work in our lives may be opposed.  The deal-breaker for Paul’s Jewish audience was love for Gentiles.  At the prospect of Gentiles receiving God’s mercy in Christ, they rioted in the streets demanding Paul be executed.  This passage is evidence that different people will oppose your witness for different reasons.

A.    From religious people (v. 22)

Hostile Objection: You can’t obey God by following Jesus because Jesus is a liar.  Away with you!

Followers of Judaism believe Jesus was a false messiah (Christ).  From the website about.com: “According to Jewish scripture and belief, the true messiah must meet the following requirements. He must:

•    Be an observant Jewish man descended from the house of King David
•    Be an ordinary human being (as opposed to the Son of God)
•    Bring peace to the world
•    Gather all Jews back into Israel
•    Rebuild the ancient Temple in Jerusalem
•    Unite humanity in the worship of the Jewish God and Torah observance.

Because Jesus did not meet these requirements, from the Jewish perspective he was not the Messiah.”  To which the Christian may reply: “Read the Gospel of Matthew.”

Self-righteous Objection: Jesus’ forgiveness gives immoral people license to sin.  Keep Jesus to us!

If we tell immoral people (those sinners, not us sinners) that Jesus forgives sin (past, present, future), then they’ll just sin all the more!  Immoral people outside the church aren’t fit for the gospel.  Jesus is for church folks.  To which the Christian may reply: Read Romans 6.”

Relativist Objection: Jesus is fine for you, but I don’t believe in him.  Keep Jesus to yourself!

Examples of religious relativism are the Universalist Church and the Baha’i faith.  Religious truth is not absolute but relative, that all great religions of the world have facets of one truth, that they agree on the essentials and only disagree on the nonessentials, and that historic faiths represent successive stages of the spiritual evolution of human society.  To which the Christian may reply: “Compare answers from different religions to worldview questions—especially who is Jesus?”

B.    From secular people (vv. 37-38, 24)

Pax Romana Objection: Your religion is fanatical and makes you a danger to civil society.  You should be locked away!

From the website newatheists.org: “Tolerance of pervasive myth and superstition in modern society is not a virtue.”  Or from the website godlessamerican.org: “So many christians, so few lions.”  If atheist and other anti-christian arguments are persuasive to you or someone you know, I urge you to read Tim Keller’s “The Reason For God” or C.S. Lewis’s “Mere Christianity”.  You simply cannot honestly raise the Pax Romana Objection if you haven’t wrestled with the arguments in these books.  These books answer the other objections as well.

C.    From family and friends (v. 22)

Dishonored Objection: You used to believe what we believe.  You’re no longer one of us!

Family and friends who are dishonored because you dissent in your religious beliefs.  Some groups practice extreme forms of “shunning” where the group avoids all social contact with the former group member (it is estimated that 10-15% of Protestant groups practice some form of shunning!).  But I think we all have experienced being moved out of the “inner circle” of family and friends because of our religious beliefs or your sharing a “personal testimony.”  This kind of objection is best answered with love and grace.

III.    The Power Behind Personal Testimony

At this point you might expect to hear a how-to list for planning, memorizing, and sharing your personal testimony.  That is a profitable exercise, and there are many places to find simple instructions for this on the internet.  Or maybe now you expect a guilt-laden push to resolve to evangelize more this year.  That would be a worthy resolution (minus the guilt as motivation).  But this text forces us to look at something different—namely that you will never overcome your fear of sharing the gospel and how Jesus has changed your life unless he has really changed your life!  The power behind a personal testimony is…

A.    A spiritual encounter with God (vv. 6-10)

Paul made it clear that God himself is the author of his sudden and radical conversion.  God knocked him off his horse with a blinding light from heaven in order to turn him around from his murderous life mission.  Furthermore, Paul’s audience was well acquainted with Jesus of Nazareth.  They believed the “official” Jewish stance on Jesus—that he was a false messiah who had been crucified, but his body had been stolen from the tomb by his disciples (Mt 28:11-15) who subsequently spread a rumor that Jesus had been raised from the dead.  Paul himself had believed this about Jesus, but now he was claiming that he had met the crucified and risen Jesus on the road to Damascus, and that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Lord Jesus Christ.  His meeting Jesus changed his whole way of thinking and way of life.

B.    A heart changed by God (vv. 10-13, 19-20)

Jesus changed Paul’s heart.  He went from a hater of Jesus to a submissive disciple of Jesus.  Now Paul is no longer arrogant and breathing murder.  He is tamed by the Lord of Heaven.  Paul’s conversion is a wonderful picture of what it means to turn to the Lord: to bow in humility to willingly bear the yoke the Lord places on you, and ready to do his will (whatever that may be).  Notice that Paul continued in humility.  He was a Bible scholar and more advanced than all his peers, and now the Lord himself had appeared and spoken to him!  Yet he was not so proud as to refuse the instruction of humble men.  Paul received the word of God from the mouth of Ananias (another servant of the Lord).  In his pre-conversion life, professing to be wise, Paul had become a fool (Tit 3:3).  But by the converting grace of God, Paul now professes to be a fool, and only then does he become truly wise (1 Cor 3:18).  Look in verse 19 where Paul objects to God—but not in a rebellious way.  Paul asks God to reconsider making him leave Jerusalem because he finds it hard to believe that the Jews will not be moved to consider the claims of Jesus Christ upon seeing his dramatically changed life and doctrine.  Paul even uses the stoning of Stephen (which he approved) to bolster his point!  Stephen (the first Christian witness to be martyred) is followed by Paul as an eager witness.  Paul’s heart is dramatically changed—the opponent of Jesus has become the proponent!

C.    An assigned mission from God (vv. 10, 14-16)

This is Paul’s calling as a prophet of God.  God appoints Paul according to his plan for him to the specific task described by Ananias.  What was God’s plan for Paul?  To know God’s will (i.e., believe in Jesus and obey his commands), to see the Righteous One (Jesus), to hear a message from the mouth of God (God’s specific instructions for Paul), to be a witness to all men of what Paul saw and heard from God (preach the gospel of the risen Jesus Christ to both Jews and Gentiles).

Conclusion – Does Paul’s story—before a hostile crowd, giving “personal testimony” of the gospel and how Jesus transformed his life by saving him from his pride, arrogance, hatred, and the penalty he deserved for all his sins—stir your heart?  Does it warm your heart because it’s basically a feel-good human-interest story that refutes Dan Barker’s jaded view of Jesus and Christians?  Or does it stir your soul because you know from your own experience the kind of spiritual encounter, the changed heart, and the sense of mission that Paul knew?  If Paul’s personal testimony doesn’t even faintly remind you of your own encounter and relationship with God, then perhaps God has not yet “knocked you off your horse.”  If that power is utterly incomprehensible and unknown to you, then you need to respond to God’s call to you like Paul did:  turn from your complacency in happily living without the power of God, put your life in Jesus’ hands, and ask “What shall I do, Lord?” But if you know and feel God’s power in your story, then give your defense when the opportunity arises.  God will give you the courage when the time comes.  And despite the response, you will glorify God.

You can only be truly thankful when you receive by faith undeserved mercy from God (simply trusting in Jesus Christ and his work for you).  Being thankful to God for his mercy will enable you to be a thankful person, especially when you are tested to give mercy to difficult people.

Introduction – Recently I heard on the radio that global economic news looks promising, therefore a good stock market is coming (never mind that a week later the global economic news and the stock market tanked!).  On top of this, the weather forecast is for pleasant conditions!  The commentator said, “So we’ll have something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving”.  Is our thankfulness conditioned on the size of our wallet and the temperature outside?  When the money disappears, and the weather gets wet and cold, are you unable to give thanks?  Are you able to give thanks only when life is trending up?  Or is there a better way?

I. The lone leper was thankful (vv. 11-19)

This story is one of the more well-known healing accounts in the gospels.  It is found in most children’s story bibles, so most Christians recognize the basic contours of the storyline.  But usually when the story is told it is isolated from what happens prior in Luke 17.  What I want us to see is that the story of the thankful leper is connected to the previous passages in such as way that there is a more nuanced lesson to be learned about thankfulness.

At this point in Luke’s gospel, Jesus has set his face toward Jerusalem where he know he will be crucified.  Accompanying Jesus is a train of disciples whom he must train about what it means to live in the kingdom of God.  So on the journey from Galilee in the north to Jerusalem in the south, they are enrolled in the School of Jesus and class is in session on how to live in God’s kingdom.  The first lesson is in their path.  Instead of traveling the well-worn path that avoids Samaria, Jesus leads his Jewish followers through the hated territory of Samaria.  The Jews hated Samaritans and usually when way out of their way to steer clear of any contact with those people whom they considered half-Jew, half-pagan.  So while in Samaria, a group of 10 lepers noticed Jesus the Jewish rabbi approaching.  As it was, these lepers were mostly Jews.  Perhaps they were in Samaria because there was no place in Jewish territory where they were welcome.  Whatever the reason, they were in “enemy” territory, and one of the enemies was even in their midst.  Nine of them were Jews, and one of them was a Samaritan.

All ten, when they saw Jesus coming and realized that he was able to heal them and restore them to life in their homeland, called out to him, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”  Jesus replied by commanding them to go show themselves to the priests (who were the gatekeepers of public health under the old covenant).  As they went, the lepers leaped for joy as they discovered their leprosy was gone!  Nine of them rushed home, but only one returned to thank the man who was responsible for his healing.  As Jesus’ disciples observed the scene, they realized that it was the hated Samaritan who was the lone man to fall at Jesus’ feet, worshiping and praising God.  “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”  He couldn’t stop repeating these words to Jesus.  It was a wonderful sight to behold.  But it was difficult to swallow.  Why was this Samaritan the only thankful one?

II. Because he understood God’s undeserved mercy (vv. 7-10, 16b)

He was an outsider, a non-Israelite who recognized that he had no claim at all on God’s blessings.  All he had was faith in a merciful God.  He was at best an unprofitable servant, so he could not boast in being healed of his disease.  He did not “deserve it” because of his identity, social position, covenantal position, or ancestry.

III. And because he had real faith (vv. 5-6)

The Samaritan didn’t have “more” faith than the others.  What he had was a real faith.  The others had a professed but pretend faith.  They sought the gift and not the giver; their healing rather than their healer; their restoration to their family rather than their restoration to God.  The Samaritan had the faith the size of a mustard seed, but it was real faith, and Jesus honored his genuine faith by declaring “your faith has made you well” (or, “your faith has saved you”).  Genuine faith produces a thankful heart, a grateful heart, a heart that is not proud, and a heart that is quick to extend mercy to others.

IV. This thankful faith ought to be merciful (vv. 3-4)

When someone sins against you, saying “I forgive you” isn’t always easy.  Most of us don’t have too much trouble with forgiving an occasional offense, but Jesus presents an extreme example to drive home the point.  Saying “I forgive you” and truly forgiving that person by never holding it against them again by wiping clean their record with you, is near impossible when the offenses pile up.

The disciples understood Jesus perfectly.  In a sense, they said “That’s impossible!  You’ve got to give us great faith to do that!”  But Jesus responded that great faith is not necessary, only real faith, and real faith will prompt the simple and humble obedience of a servant attending to his master’s command.  Jesus is saying that people who obtain mercy from God should overflow with mercy to others.  Even to those who have sinned against us!  If the one who sins against you repents and asks for forgiveness, then you must have mercy by giving forgiveness—full and free.  Even if the same person sins against you again and again and again.  If there is repentance, then there must be forgiveness—because God has forgiven you infinitely more.  God mercy to you in forgiving your sins and restoring you to God’s favor is more than enough mercy in your life to overflow to those who sin against you.

Apply to Thanksgiving holiday and difficult family dynamics that many face.  Lots of strained and broken relationships due to sin in the recent and distant past.

a.    Parent-child
b.    In-laws
c.    Sibling
d.    Husband-wife

V. Because woe to faith without mercy (vv. 1-2)

If you have a hard time forgiving because the sins against you don’t stop, or if there is no evidence of repentance, then you must return to the cross of Jesus to understand yourself rightly—as an undeserving sinner saved by the infinite grace of God poured out on you.  It is only at the foot of the cross where you may find the mercy you need to mercifully forgive others.  But if you resolve to hold a grudge or to retain the “moral high ground” by not absorbing the sin and extending mercy, then the “millstone woe” Jesus pronounces in Luke 17:2 hangs over you.

Conclusion – The way to be truly thankful is not dependent on the size of your annual Christmas gift budget, or the market fluctuations of your retirement account, or a good year at the office, or your health, or your family’s relative tranquility, or anything else that is trending up in your life.  Being thankful is totally dependent on your thankfulness to God for the mercy you’ve received from Jesus Christ.  Jesus found his strength in his heavenly Father to forgive and absorb your sin on the cross.   True thankfulness always flows from the cross where we receive mercy for ourselves—more than enough for us to keep and give away.  If you need to repent of your sin against someone this Thanksgiving, do so quickly.  Don’t let another holiday go by without seeking forgiveness and reconciliation.  If you look deep down inside and discover you don’t have it in you, then I hope you won’t be able to forget this sermon.  Not until that emptiness drives you to your knees, to the foot of the cross begging God to bless you with his infinite mercy given to sinners who need forgiveness, the power to forgive, and hearts overflowing with thanksgiving.

Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom: "This is SERIOUS!"

This is a sermon on Acts 20:36-:21:16.  Download the sermon audio and outline.

When Christians strive to follow God’s will by pursuing self-denying, cross-centered lives, they should expect Christian fellowship to be encouraging but sometimes emotionally painful and confusing.

Introduction – There is a scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when the hero is following a hidden path deep into the bowels of an ancient palace.  So far it’s been an exciting adventure with the promise of “fortune and glory” awaiting him.  But then he finds himself trapped in a room where the stone ceiling begins to slowly roll down toward the floor threatening to crush him.  About half-way down rigid spikes appear from the ceiling and the floor.  Indiana, who up to this point has remained calm and kept his wits about him, screams “This is serious!”  In a flash, the adventure turns potentially deadly, and suddenly he’s not having fun anymore.  Obeying God’s will for me can be difficult because following him is sometimes confusing, and often causes pain for me and the people I love.  When Christians strive to follow God’s will by pursuing self-denying, cross-centered lives, they should expect Christian fellowship to be encouraging but sometimes emotionally painful and confusing.

Background – Why did Paul feel compelled this time around to go to Jerusalem which was a dangerous place for him?  Paul realized there was a growing division in the church between legalistic Jews and the believing Gentiles.  (Note that many times the church today only sees enemies of the gospel on the far left wing of the church and society.  But the primary enemies of the gospel in the early church were on the far right wing of the church and society.)  Ever since the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15), the division had grown as the legalists trailed Paul on his missionary journeys seeking to convert the new Christians to their own faction.  Paul understood the gravity of the situation.  He saw that since he was part of the problem (being the chief apostle to the Gentiles and the most successful foreign missionary), he should be part of the solution.  A substantial love offering collected from the Gentiles churches for the mother church in Jerusalem, delivered by Paul himself, could help to heal the division between the Jews and Gentiles in the church.

I.    Following God Through Pain

A.    The pain of final farewells (vv. 20:36-21:1a, 5-6, 13).

Although Paul and his friends knew they would spend eternity together in heaven, this did not erase the difficulty of their farewells.  This is a beautiful picture of Christian fellowship.  There is obviously deep love between Paul and these fellow Christian laborers.

Have you ever had to say good-bye to church friends because either you or they moved?  Even though we are only a phone call away, not seeing our Christian friends on a regular is painful (especially if they are ministry partners—“war buddies”).  Have you been privileged to say good-bye to a dying loved one who is a believer?  You have faith that you’ll see your loved one again, but not this side of heaven.  Even farewells that aren’t final but that come on the cusp of change are painful.  Parents and children know this pain when it’s time for the grown child to move out of the home or get married.  When you open your heart to love someone, saying good-bye is hurts.

How was Paul, who traveled for much of his ministry, able to build so many lasting bonds of love and friendship?  By giving himself away!  Selfless service and death to self is the recipe for making lasting friends.  This is what Paul told his friends in Ephesus (Acts 20:35).

B.    The pain of fearful expectations (vv. 21:11-13).

At this point everyone agrees that dire consequences await Paul in Jerusalem.  Paul is warned (at least) twice by well-intentioned believers to avoid that city.  Both Paul and his friends must have been afraid of the Holy Spirit’s prediction that his sworn enemies would finally capture him.  Despite these justified fears Paul was not only ready for imprisonment but death as well.  [Note the prophetic details.  Paul will be captured by the Jews and handed over to the Gentiles (Roman authorities).  There is no mention of Paul’s death.]

C.    The pain of giving up my will (vv. 21:4, 12-14).

When you follow God and it gets painful (or at least likely painful), it’s not just you who must give up your will.  Even your Christian friends may have to give up their preferences and hopes for you, and give up how your life neatly intersects with theirs.  This may entail giving up hopes and dreams and close relationships.  Giving up carefully-arranged plans hurts.  When the Holy Spirit warns that something is going to go wrong with our plans, it does not necessarily mean that we should not make the attempt.  This should be a warning that even if we see a “door closing”, it does not necessarily mean that going through the door is against God’s will (cf. 1 Cor 16:8-9).  In Paul’s case, the divine warnings served to strengthen and prepare him for adversity, which was God’s will for him.

II.    Following God Through Confusion

At first glance there is a contradiction of divine directions in this passage.  Paul is directed by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem.  Believers in Tyre and Caesarea are led by the Spirit to warn Paul of the dangers that await him in Jerusalem.  In essence, Paul sees an “open door” that the Holy Spirit is leading him through; other believers see a “closed door” that the Holy Spirit is prohibiting Paul to go through.  Is the Spirit inconsistent?  If not, who is wrong?  How did he decide what to do?

A.    Carefully discern God’s will (vv. 21:4, 10-12).

There is not a contradiction in the Spirit’s messages to Paul and to the disciples in Tyre.  The warning the disciples give to Paul is presumably a fearful misinterpretation of the Spirit’s message.  If the Spirit declared that Paul would suffer in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 19:21; 20:22-24), and his friends desired to protect him, then they may have interpreted the Spirit’s message to mean that Paul must not go to Jerusalem.  But notice that is an application of the Spirit’s message, not the message itself.  Here is a historical example of why prophecies need to be tested (because the interpretation or even the prophecy itself may be wrong; cf. 1 Cor 14:29-33a; 1 Thess 5:20-21).  The Christians in Tyre did not see any good purpose in Paul’s future suffering, but Paul interpreted the warnings as a divine confirmation that he must suffer for the name of Jesus (cf. Acts 9:16).  Paul correctly distinguished between prediction and prohibition.  Paul rightly relied on the insight given to him by the Spirit, so the other believers had to reinterpret their own prophetic insights to fit with what Paul knew to be God’s will for him.

How do we apply this principle to our choices apart from the direct revelation of the Spirit?  The Bible’s answer is that there are no short cuts: (1) cultivate wisdom, (2) pray for guidance, (3) seek godly counsel, (4) make a decision and act in faith.

B.    Gently resist emotional pressure (vv. 21:13-14a).

Where did Paul get the strength to continue his journey toward Jerusalem when his friends repeatedly warned him to stay away to stay safe?  No one, including Paul, enjoys suffering, so why did Paul ignore their warnings and press on?  Because he was convinced that God wanted him to!  Paul wanted to follow God, to obey God’s will (especially this unique assignment that God had given to him) more than he wanted to escape pain.

Hugh Lattimer was a first-generation reformers in England.  One Sunday he was summoned to preach before the impetuous King Henry VIII, a man who had broken with the Roman Catholic and the pope, but who was still very much a Roman Catholic in his core doctrinal beliefs.  Lattimer preached a bold sermon that greatly offended the king.  Henry ordered Lattimer to preach the next Sunday and to apologize for his previous offense.  The next Sunday Lattimer began by saying before the King:

Hugh Lattimer, dost thou know before whom thou are this day to speak? To the high and mighty monarch, the king’s most excellent majesty, who can take away thy life, if thou offendest. Therefore, take heed that thou speakest not a word that may displease. But then consider well, Hugh, dost thou not know from whence thou comest—upon Whose message thou are sent? Even by the great and mighty God, Who is all-present and Who beholdeth all thy ways and Who is able to cast thy soul into hell! Therefore, take care that thou deliverest thy message faithfully.

He then proceeded to preach the SAME SERMON except more boldly!  What we need as faithful followers of Jesus is this kind of resolve to do God’s will whatever may come, and the faith to believe that God’s will for us is ultimately good despite potential pain.  We should not allow our emotions (or the emotions of others) to dissuade us from what we believe the right thing to do.  In other words, we need courage.  Courage is not the ability to callously resist emotional pleas, but to tenderly hold our ground and do what is right.  The goal is not obstinacy, but obedience in the face of obstacles.  A new proverb: “The wise obediently submit in the face of obstacles, a fool reacts obstinately.”

C.    “Let the will of the Lord be done” (v. 21:14b).

Finally the disciples ceased trying to persuade Paul to avoid Jerusalem.  They understood through divine inspiration (e.g., Agabus’s prophecy) that Paul would be arrested and would suffer at the hands of the Jews and Gentiles, but they acquiesced to Paul’s wishes, recognizing that it was the will of the Lord that Paul must go.  Interpretation is the key that unlocks confusion.  A warning may mean “Get ready!” instead of “Stay away!”  Notice that Paul’s friends did not give up on Paul when they turned him over to God’s will.  They were trusting God to take care of him.

Compare the similar language in the willing submission of Jesus to his Father’s will (Lk 22:42).  Note that this is not just religious language for “whatever” or “fine, be that way!” or “whatever will be will be”, but is consistent with the third petition of the Lord’s Prayer: “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  The disciples’s statement in Acts 21:14 is clearly an allusion to the Lord’s prayer in Gethsemane.  Luke meant to compare Jesus and Paul as they both followed God’s will for them all the way to Jerusalem.

III.    Following God By Following Jesus

A.    Paul’s example: following in Jesus’ footsteps toward Jerusalem (Lk 9:51, 53; Acts 19:21).

As he concludes his third missionary trip, Paul’s journey to Jerusalem is accompanied by warnings and foreshadows of suffering and death that await him.  Paul’s experiences echo those of Jesus when he journeyed to Jerusalem (Mk 10:33; Lk 13:33-35; 9:51; 18:31-33).  Paul is a faithful follower of Jesus—literally following him to arrest and death in Jerusalem if God willed it for him (1 Pet 2:21).

Every person’s calling to follow Jesus is different.  Some God calls to the missions, sometimes far away from family and friends.  Some God calls to pastoral or other vocational ministry.  God calls some to marry, some to singleness.  Some to raise several kids, some to raise many kids.  The list goes on and on.

B.    Enjoy God’s encouragement while pursuing the self-denying, cross-centered life (vv. 20:36-37; 21:5, 7-8, 16; cf. Rom 15:25-32).

In every city he visited, Paul made fast friends because he loved God’s people and entered into their lives.  He prayed with them, ate with them, ministered with them, taught them, disciplined them for their good, and became emotionally attached to them.  He deeply enjoyed fellowship, receiving affection as much as he gave.  Paul pursued a life of self-denial by pursuing Christ, but he never ceased enjoying God’s blessings.  Paul was poor, but he was also a joyful, content man who was rich in friendships.

Conclusion – How is God uniquely calling you to follow Jesus?  Remember you are not Jesus!  Following God’s will for you will never mean taking the full wrath of God for the sins of the world.  You are not the gospel, but Jesus is!  God’s will for Jesus was to follow through the pain (which he counted as joy), follow through the confusion (he was not confused about his mission; but everyone else was), and to follow God’s will that actually broke his fellowship with his Father!  Jesus did all this so that sinners, who struggle and fail to faithfully obey God’s will through the pain and confusion, can be brought near to God rather than forsaken.  You cannot ask “What would Jesus do?” until you ask “What did Jesus do?”, and then you must trust in his finished work to lead you in a life of thankful, serving devotion.  Christians should expect emotional pain and confusion to sometimes come from Christian fellowship because we still live in a sinful world, and because God’s will for you is often not what others want for you.  But don’t let that stop you from following God when the following gets serious, because the joy you will possess in following the footsteps of Jesus fosters this kind of assurance—since you are united by faith to Jesus in his self-denying, cross-centered life, you will be united to Jesus in his resurrection.  C.S. Lewis once said, “You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you,” and “Where can you taste the joy of obeying unless He bids you do something for which His bidding is the only reason?”

King Henry VIII--"a most intolerable ruffian and a blot of blood and grease on the history of England" - Shakespeare

In the year 1534 the King of England broke the church in his country away from the Roman Catholic Church.  On the surface it may appear that Henry VIII was a few years late to the Protestant party and thus a blip on the screen of history, upon further examination the creation of the Church of England is a major turning point in the history of the Church.  King Henry, who desperately desired a male heir to his throne, was willing to usurp headship of Christ’s Church for the English Crown so he could secure a divorce from his aging wife who had thus failed to birth a surviving son.  Although the motive that led to the Protestant Reformation coming to England was not theological but political, the Reformation came just the same.  With the passing into law of the English Act of Supremacy in 1534, Henry declared that the head of the Church was the State.  Church-State relations have never been the same, with some church revolting against this new arrangement and others embracing it.  History shows us the unintended effects of such placing the State in charge of the Church.

Mark Noll’s book Turning Points addresses this historic moment, explaining some of the factors that led to the Act of Supremacy and detailing many of the consequences that followed.  See below for a summary of Noll’s chapter, along with a few links for further reading.

The English Act of Supremacy: Breaking from Rome, the English Parliament declared King Henry VIII “the only supreme head on earth of the Church of England.”

Henry VIII: “Defender of the Faith”

Catholic Counterpoint: What was it like to be on the losing side of England’s Reformation?

Mark Noll, in his church history book Turning Points, does a fine job of getting at the important ideas and movements that preceded and followed the Diet of Worms in 1521.  Martin Luther lived a very full life amid turbulent changing times, and the turning point was his civil-ecclesiastical trial where he put his life in God’s hands when he famously said of God’s Word, “Here I Stand, I can do no other, so help me God!”

See below for a few articles on Martin Luther and a slideshow that highlights some of the key points in Luther’s life and thought.

Martin Luther: The Accidental Revolutionary.  In his quest for spiritual peace, Luther had no idea he’d leave his world in turmoil.

Martin Luther’s “Evangelical” Breakthrough: When, where, and how did Luther make his astounding discovery of justification by faith?

What Martin Luther Said: When Martin Luther stood up for his ideas at the Diet of Worms, did he really say, “Here I stand”?